PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between JJ Spinks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Samson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Samson will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Spinks
vs
Samson

199 cm
19
280 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

185 cm
19
255 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, JJ Spinks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Samson!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, George Francis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spinks closes this distance looking for a takedown but Samson circles away.

Spinks drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Samson wants to get back to his feet but Spinks is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Spinks distracts Samson with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Samson scores with a nice shot.
Samson is trying to control the position but Spinks postures up.
Samson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Spinks wants to pass the guard but Samson is keeping the position.
Spinks scoring with punches to the head and body.
Spinks landing with the ground and pound.
Spinks throwing strikes from guard but Samson blocks nicely.
Spinks lands a couple of digs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spinks landing with the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Spinks postures up and lands a big shot to Samson's brow.
Spinks throws a big right hand that misses.
Samson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Spinks throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Spinks postures up in Samson's guard and throws a big left but Samson blocks it.
Samson wants to sweep but no luck.
Spinks missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Spinks chips away with some ground and pound.
Spinks trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Spinks forces his way into half guard.
Spinks lands with a punch from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samson is trying to control but can't.
Spinks sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Samson defending well though.

Samson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Spinks pulls his head out easily.
Samson looks gassed!
Spinks not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Spinks scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Spinks takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Spinks passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Samson!
Spinks postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Samson looks a forlorn figure.
Spinks fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Spinks will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spinks breaks from Samson's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Samson is bucking up trying to escape but Spinks cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Spinks with shots to the head and body - Samson looks very uncomfortable down there.
Spinks is landing with some decent strikes but Samson is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Samson takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The referee warns Samson that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Spinks landing shots from mount.
Spinks lands a big shot there that rocks Samson but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Spinks trying to control but Samson is having none of it.
Spinks sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Spinks with the ground and pound from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spinks landing shots from mount.
Spinks working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Spinks prevents Samson from getting the reversal.
Spinks punishing his opponent with strikes.
Samson takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Spinks looking to finish Samson with some ground and pound. This is bad for Samson!
Samson can't escape the position.
Spinks is landing with some decent strikes but Samson is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Spinks knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Samson on the ground.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Spinks connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Samson is squirming around, avoiding Spinks's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

JJ Spinks dominated that round.
That's time! Spinks's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Spinks shoots in and bounces Samson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Spinks working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Samson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Spinks is looking to escape.
Samson tries to pass to full mount but Spinks defends it.
Spinks wants to stand back up but Samson manages to pass into side control.
Samson trying to control the position but Spinks is working away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Spinks sneaks out the side door and pushes Samson away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Spinks.
Samson has a takedown stuffed.
Samson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Samson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Spinks moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Spinks decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Spinks is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Spinks drops an elbow to the side of Samson's head.
Spinks content to control rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Spinks looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Samson with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samson works his way to full guard. Good work.
Spinks controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Spinks is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Spinks connects with a couple of short punches.
Spinks chips away with some ground and pound.
Spinks working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Spinks controls from within his opponent's guard.
Spinks postures up and lands a big shot to Samson's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Spinks trying to control the position from guard on top but Samson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Spinks scoring with some ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Spinks's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Spinks is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Samson can do to turn this around?
Spinks in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Spinks is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Spinks's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
JJ Spinks overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Samson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Spinks postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Spinks's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Spinks is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samson keeping moving, preventing Spinks from controlling successfully.
Spinks is working Samson over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Spinks postures up in Samson's guard and throws a big left but Samson blocks it.
Spinks landing with the ground and pound.

Samson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Spinks doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Spinks manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Spinks postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Spinks postures up and lands a big shot to Samson's brow.
Spinks postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Spinks is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

JJ Spinks dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Spinks shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Samson counters with a takedown into side control.
Spinks is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Samson has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Spinks on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Spinks tries to get out of the position.
Samson trying to control the action but Spinks is working from the bottom.

Samson stands up.
JJ Spinks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Samson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Spinks swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Spinks with a poor takedown

and Samson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Samson has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Spinks uses from the top position.
Spinks postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Samson striking from the bottom here.
Spinks missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Samson has his foot on Spinks's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Spinks works his way back into a safe position though.
Spinks working some strikes from top position.
Spinks postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Spinks throwing strikes but missing.
Spinks works over Samson with some ground and pound from guard.
Samson keeping full guard, as Spinks tries to pass.

Samson pushes Spinks off and scrambles back to his feet.
Samson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Spinks has his takedown stuffed
and Samson counters with a series of strikes. Spinks will be more careful next time no doubt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for JJ Spinks. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Samson gets caught flat footed, as Spinks shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Spinks's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Samson trying to control the position.
Samson wants to stand and escape but Spinks is having none of it.
Spinks postures up and lands a big shot to Samson's brow.
Spinks scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Spinks distracts Samson with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Spinks looking to pass the guard.
Spinks lands a couple of digs.

Spinks avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Spinks stopping the sweep attempt from Samson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spinks forces his way into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Samson trying to control here.
Spinks looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Samson with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Samson wants to control but Spinks is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Spinks lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Nice strikes from Spinks there.
Spinks wants to lay and pray for a moment but Samson keeps working.
Samson is trying to get back to full guard.
Spinks wants to pass to mount but Samson is defending the position.
Spinks sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Samson defending well though.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to John Samson.
I think Spinks has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:27
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... JJ Spinks!